Power-supplying member and heating apparatus using the same

Abstract

A power-supplying member comprises: a first rod-shaped member connected to power-supplied object; a second rod-shaped member connected to power supply; and a thermal-expansion absorbing member, which is disposed between the first rod-shaped member and the second rod-shaped member, and which shrinks in a longitudinal direction in response to changes in shape of the first rod-shaped member and the second rod-shaped member in the longitudinal direction due to thermal expansion.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from provisional application 60 / 672,737 filed on Apr. 19, 2005, and Japanese patent application No. Tokugan 2006-111542 filed on Apr. 14, 2006; the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a power-supplying member and a heating apparatus using the same, suitable for semiconductor manufacturing systems such as thermal chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) systems and plasma CVD systems. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] There is conventionally known, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HS-326112, heating apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as “ceramic heaters”) comprise a ceramic base in which a heating resistor oz an electrode are embedded a tubular supporting member which supports the ceramic base; and a power-supplying ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] According to the present invention, as shrink properties can be given to power-supplying member, the power-supplying member can absorb an amount of change in shape due to its thermal expansion by shrink of the thermal-expansion absorbing member, even in a case where power supply generates heat on the power-supplying member, and thus the power-supplying member thermally expands, while the power-supplying member is connected to the power supplied object. Accordingly, the power-supplying member of the present invention makes it possible to improve reliability of the heating apparatus.

[0012] It is desirable that the thermal-expansion absorbing member is a member formed in any one of a structure spiraling a rod-shaped member, a structure spiraling a thin-plate member, and a structure which the thin-plate member has alternating series of convex and concave bending portion in the longitudinal direction, each bending portion extending along a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. According to such a structure, as spring properties can be given to the thermal-expansion absorbing member, the thermal-expansion absorbing member can adequately shrink in response to thermal expansion. Accordingly, it is possible to absorb an amount of change in shape of the power-supplying member due to its thermal expansion.

[0013] The thermal expansion absorbing member may include a curved portion. According to such a structure, the power-supplying member can be provided with a structure having spring properties or a structure capable of causing the thermal-expansion absorbing member to easily buckle, while maintaining the hardness of the power-supplying member as a whole without necessitating change in the cross-sectional form of the thermal-expansion absorbing member. As a result, the thermal-expansion absorbing member can adequately shrink or buckle in response to change in shape due to its thermal expansion. Accordingly, this makes it possible to absorb an amount of change in shape of the power-supplying member due to the thermal expansion.

[0014] It is desirable that the thermal-expansion absorbing member is formed from a member which Young's modulus is 50 [Gpa] or more smaller then Young's modulus of the first and second rod-shaped member. According to such a structure, the thermal-expansion absorbing member can shrink more easily and can adequately shrink in response to cleanse in shape due to its thermal expansion thermal expansion. As a result, this makes it possible to absorb an amount of change in shape of the power-supplying member due to the thermal expansion.

Problems solved by technology

This brings about a problem that the difference between the power-supplying member and the tubular supporting member in amount of thermal expansion is large.

For this reason, according to the ceramic heaters of the related art, as the power-supplying member cannot freely expand thermally in response to temperature change, excessive stress occurs in a joint part where the heating resistor or the electrode is joined to the power-supplying member.

The occurrence of the stress brings about a problem that the stress disconnects a power-supplying member from the heating resistor or the electrode (terminal disconnection), and a problem that the stress causes critical cracks in the ceramic base in the vicinity of the joint part.

Accordingly, the ceramic heaters of the related art have a problem in reliability.

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